Ada
Say it: AY-da/ˈeɪdə/
GirlMeans usually linked to "noble"3 letters2 syllables
#45
in Ireland (2025)
#46 with spellings combined
104
babies in 2025
#37
best rank (2023)
1,168
babies since 1964
Up 134
10-year rank change
Ada through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 104 | #46 |
| 2024 | 107 | #46 |
| 2023 | 128 | #37 |
| 2022 | 119 | #48 |
| 2021 | 131 | #45 |
| 2020 | 131 | #39 |
| 2019 | 100 | #57 |
| 2018 | 92 | #70 |
| 2017 | 41 | #137 |
| 2016 | 33 | #166 |
| 2015 | 31 | #180 |
| 2014 | 21 | #242 |
| 2013 | 17 | #287 |
| 2012 | 13 | #372 |
| 2011 | 10 | #442 |
| 2010 | 10 | #445 |
| 2009 | 11 | #412 |
| 2008 | 10 | #431 |
| 2007 | 11 | #375 |
| 2006 | 5 | #551 |
| 2005 | 3 | #690 |
| 2004 | 5 | #511 |
| 2003 | 6 | #439 |
| 2002 | 5 | #443 |
| 2001 | 3 | #606 |
| 1982 | 3 | #523 |
| 1978 | 3 | #522 |
| 1974 | 4 | #428 |
| 1973 | 3 | #508 |
| 1967 | 5 | #315 |
| 1964 | 3 | #372 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.
★ What does Ada mean?
Usually linked to "noble"
Germanic, a short form of names beginning with adal (noble), such as Adelaide.
Say it right
AYda
The story of Ada
Ada began as a short form of Germanic names starting with adal, meaning noble, such as Adelaide. It is also a Latin spelling of the Hebrew name Adah, found in the Book of Genesis. Other languages have their own Ada: in Turkish it means island, and among the Igbo of Nigeria it is a name for a first daughter.
Its most famous bearer is Ada Lovelace, the daughter of Lord Byron and a pioneer of computing. The Ada programming language is named after her.
Ada was already being given to a handful of Irish girls in 1964, but it dropped off the CSO list entirely in the 1990s. Its revival began in the late 2000s, and it peaked in 2020 with 131 babies. Its best rank was number 37 in 2023 on our combined count, and 34th on the CSO’s own list.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Ada (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Ada (name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Ada | 104 | 1,165 |
| Adá | under 3 | 3 |
In Northern Ireland
#47 in 2025 with 39 babies. Best rank #35 (2023); 341 babies since 2013.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.